Herb Spotlight: Damiana

Have you checked out my Specialteas page? Right now, I’m featuring An Austen Afternoon. It’s a wonderful black tea and herb blend to bring the sense of Austen’s time to your tea cup.

It has a few herbs that may be new to you. One being Damiana.

It’s relatively new to me too!

Yet I’ve been enjoying it both in this tea blend as well as in a tincture. It’s taste is pretty flowery to me in tincture form. Yet infused, this adds so much into An Austen Afternoon!

This is a small shrub that grows in the Southern part of the U.S. It is also native to all the subtropic regions of Mexico, Central and South America, and Africa. I’m tempted to find out how well it would grow in a container as I enjoy the herb.

Some of my research has shown that it’s a great herb for women and men in terms of sex hormone imbalances (PMS, low libido and other concerns). It is an aphrodisiac after all. But, like so many things, this isn’t a miracle herb that would solve any desire issues. Damiana is a tonic herb, meaning it can bring balance. Most of the situations in which Damiana is useful is when things are just worn out, physically and mentally. In terms of these imbalances, most of its usefulness is that it helps to bring more flow to the pelvis area. This can be more circulation of blood, such as a stimulation to start menses when they are delayed. The one contraindication (a situation when it is advised to not use the herb) I have found refers to this action of the herb. It is advised to avoid during pregnancy because of its ability to encourage menses and flow in the pelvic region.

While the hormone balances above receive a lot of attention, Damiana is also great for the nervous, respiratory and digestive systems too.

The nervous system benefits are what I want to focus on.

Damiana can be useful when feeling depleted. This is that feeling of exhaustion where one gets to the point of wanting to “check out”. I see this situation as one where there’s no energy, lots of irritability and frustration, body just feels heavy and weak, and yet sleep is not as restful as it needs to be.

Damiana is a tonic herb. Often included in blends- whether teas, elixirs, or tinctures- that can help bring balance and reconnect you with yourself and the world around you. This is what speaks to me about the herb. I see working with Damiana as creating and opening the space for other restorative and supportive practices to be implemented.

Head over to the Specialteas page and pick up An Austen Afternoon and give Damiana a try!

Herb Spotlight: Red Clover

In addition to dandelions, one of the herbs of summer for me is a little pinkish-purple bloom. Farmers and gardeners love this herb as a cover crop to bring nutrients back to the soil. For others, it may seem like a nuisance in their yard. I’m hopeful though that you will come to appreciate this little powerhouse available to you from spring to early fall.

Red clover is a cheery little flower that we can find on roadsides, in meadows, fields, and lawns. Farmers and gardeners will plant this herb as a cover crop to help build up soil nutrients in between growing seasons. This herb blooms from spring to early fall, making it easy to harvest as needed.

This herb can help to bring calm and well-being. I love this herb as it helps to soothe us when we are feeling tension from grief and stress. Energetically, red clover helps to release grief by letting the heart open.

Also often used when a person is having trouble making their own decisions. Red clover is great for that person who needs a little support in separating from a group’s energy in order to feel confident in their own decisions.

It has a sweet, neutral and moistening flavor profile. As with all herbs, red clover has a complex relationship with our bodies when we consume it.

Physically, it soothes irritated tissues, eases headaches from stress and tension, and relaxes muscles. It is an herb that helps to support the lymph system as well as removing waste and build-up in the blood. This herb is often used to support the body’s respiratory system when experiencing dry spasmodic coughs. Also used in situations for skin conditions, menopausal/post-menopausal support, when overworking affects memory, and as a general nutritive herb.

Overall, red clover is generally considered safe. Research is on-going on whether there is a concern with using red clover while having (or have had) estrogen-receptor positive cancer. It has not yet been proven in either way so a person with this situation may want to avoid red clover until more is known.

Wanting to try red clover? The flowers can be added fresh into salads or fried. You can also try it in Woodland Spring tisane!

Herb Spotlight: Dandelion

Flux: that seems like a great descriptor for March. Part way in winter, part way in spring. Warm days, cold days, sunny days, snow days. A bit of all the things happen in March.

I definitely turn to herbs to help with this transition. Mainly, I turn to herbs that help me feel lighter, either mentally, emotionally or physically. These are herbs that help to detoxify my body or that taste bright.

Taste plays a huge role in what I reach for when I want to support myself mentally or emotionally. It’s the tea version of comfort food. 😊 When the seasons transition, I like to reach for herbs that are associated with the season to come. It’s my way of looking forward and embracing the shifts.

Physically, I look at how my body is feeling and where I need support. Is it sleep that seems to be suffering? Then I start to incorporate the herbs that help to relax and calm me in the evenings. Am I feeling rather sluggish in my belly area? I start adding in herbs that will help to move things along and increase digestion. Just a general feeling of being off? I reach for nourishing herbs that are nutrient-rich.

Let’s look at a common spring herb in a possibly new light.

Image by Dirk (Beeki®) Schumacher from Pixabay

Dandelion

Once a valued resource, the dandelion is now on the receiving end of curses and sprays as people try to remove this prolific herb from their lawns and garden beds.

It’s a multi-seasonal herb in that the fresh growth of spring leaves are tender enough to add into your salads and soups. The summer flowers are used in infusing oils (internal or external use). The roots are bitter and stimulating in the spring. Harvest the roots in the fall for a more nourishing effect.

Personally, dandelion is commonly added into my daily practice through my tea rituals, though you can take it as a tincture, as a food, or as an external application (infused oils).

Dandelion has a multidimensional purpose as one of our herbal allies. The first is that it is bitter. The leaves are milder in the spring when they are small and become more bitter as the season moves. Why would you want to include something bitter?

A little background on how our bodies work. Smell is the first step in digestion. Next up is the food acting upon our tongue receptors. Those two things tell our bodies to begin the digestive process. When you consume bitter foods it activates digestion and metabolism much more effectively. The bitter taste stimulates the secretion of bile, gastric enzymes and pancreatic enzymes. While we can say that it increases appetite, it does so while it also curbs overeating.

Why would we want to include this plant in our spring rituals?

For me, I want to feel lighter after the heavier foods of winter. Dandelion supports both kidney and liver functions. It’s a diuretic; one of the good ones. It encourages your body to eliminate uric acid (metabolic waste). Yet the leaf is a great source of potassium and other minerals, replenishing your body rather than depleting it. Herbalists may include dandelion when assisting your body with water retention, urinary and prostate infections, gout, arthritis, or rheumatism.

The root is also amazing and is what I tend to use the most. Here is the bitter along with the sweet (starch). A liver tonic which means it supports the liver in performing its role in our bodies. We’re looking at how it helps remove the metabolic wastes and excess hormones from our bodies. It’s that combination of stimulating digestion mentioned earlier along with the starches providing food for our good gut bacteria. Add in the diuretic effect and you have this great system of support for your liver. All this can ease inflammation in your body.

Are you looking at dandelion in a new light yet?

Contemplating its growing habits, I am in awe of the humble dandelion. Think about where you find dandelion growing. Can you think of a place it doesn’t grow?? Whether you live in the city, suburbs, or rural areas, you will find dandelion.

Image by congerdesign from Pixabay

Let’s look at dandelion’s tenacity as a positive. Here is a plant that teaches us about persisting in spite of setbacks. Mow it and it grows back. Try to pull it out by its roots and inevitably, not all the root comes out. That piece of root picks itself up (metaphorically) and keeps going.

The dandelion is creative. It grows wherever there is just the smallest space for it. The dandelion thrives in your lawn just as well as a crack in the concrete.

Spring brings these tenacious, bitter herbs for us to enjoy. In nature it is a time of growth and on the medicine wheel this season is all about action. In what ways can you embrace dandelion’s qualities in your own life?

Herb Spotlight: Hawthorn

What is your daily tea ritual looking like as we move through March? For me, I love including specific herbs to my tea rituals. I select them based on the season as well as what I feel needs support in my life. Even though it’s still cold out, the lengthening days signal to me that it’s time to start a slow shift from the warming herbs to ones that support me as spring approaches.

This herb is a favorite of mine and ties in with last month’s Valentine’s Day since it’s a heart herb. It’s in the rose family and once you start to explore Hawthorn, you can see so many similarities with the rose and why it’s such a great herb to include when supporting your heart, physically or energetically.

Image by jhenning from Pixabay 

Hawthorn is a tree or shrub with many sharp thorns along its branches. In May, delicate white to pinkish flower clusters bloom. This descriptor sounds so much like the rose! Embodying the opposites: strong yet delicate. Resilient. Protective.

You’ll find red berries in the fall. In ancient lore and legend, the hawthorn was seen as the embodiment of the triple goddess: maiden, mother, and crone. The flowers are seen as the maiden aspect and popular in May Day/Beltane festivals. The berries are the mother aspect. The crone is seen in the thorns.

The hawthorn is one of the first trees to repopulate an area as well as will grow and thrive in a multitude of environments. I love that adaptability aspect of hawthorn and feel it is one of its energetic qualities that it imparts when we use it.

Part of the lore around hawthorn concerning the crone aspect is the challenges it presents. Think quests, hero/heroine journeys and the like. Challenging us to bring forth inner power in times when we struggle to do so. (Sounds so very needed now!) It’s about being more fully yourself, strengthening who you are, locating that self deep within and connecting to who you are. The thorns on the tree are both protective and about setting boundaries.

Hawthorn is a calming nervine. It soothes the nervous system while nourishing it. Hawthorn is recommended usually when someone is feeling sadness, grief, loss, or vulnerable. Hawthorn allows us to soften in a way that supports us through these emotions. It will not remove them, rather hawthorn creates a safe space to feel and release them.

You may be familiar with Hawthorn as a heart herb. As in, physically supporting your heart and its functions. This use of hawthorn is very common as it provides great support to the cardiac system of the body. The German Commission E (the German equivalent to our FDA) has approved use the of hawthorn leaf and flower for decreased cardiac output. Hawthorn’s physical effects on the body are seen in the dilation of the arteries and veins to help blood flow by inhibiting the enzymes that cause constriction. It also strengthens the heart muscle creating an environment that improves mechanics.

Image by glacika56 from Pixabay 

The physical and energetic benefits of hawthorn are what I love about the herb and why I included it in two of my teas. You can find the leaf and flower in Serenity Meadows along with tulsi and fennel seeds. The combination creates this refreshing tisane that helps to increase circulation, providing a caffeine-free pick-me-up. The berries (which are not sweet like strawberries or raspberries) are included in Goddess Wisdom Tea. The earthy, slightly bitter white tea blend is inspired by the Mnemosyne and includes herbal allies for memory and brain function.

Herb Spotlight: Rose

It’s Valentine’s Day and I hope you made some time to share the love with your loved ones and with yourself. When thinking about what I wanted to write about, I totally ended up going down a rabbit hole. 😊

I researched the history of the day wanting to see how we can tie our herbs into the celebrations. I realized it has come a long way from its early celebrations to what it is now. The evolution from Roman fertility festivals to 5th century Catholic saints day to the 17th-18th century English practice of exchanging small tokens of affection and cards to the present day celebrations. It was really fascinating to read about the changes and how older mythologies, practices, and observations have shaped the day as we know it.

From the roses to chocolates given, herbs play a role in our celebrations. The day has become a celebration of love and February is American Heart Month and I thought in tonight’s email it would be fitting to bring you an herb synonymous to the day that is also great for the heart. Steep a gentle cup of tea and enjoy.

Image by pasja1000 from Pixabay 

Rose

A “tender hug from a friend.” * I love how that describes rose so well. Perhaps that is why the rose is such a popular flower to gift. Roses embody love, longing, innocence as well as sexual allure. They can be chaste or wanton. Delicate yet protective. Brave. It often symbolizes romance, love, and femininity in story, song, and gifting.

Often called the “Queen of Flowers,” they are delicate in their blooms and their vulnerabilities to pests and disease. Yet try to trim one and you realize it’s not time to daydream! Their protective thorns remind you to be in the present, to take care.

As herbal medicine, the rose is medicine for the heart. It is a gentle nervine, meaning it supports your nervous system. Often used in situations like fatigue, anxiety, menstrual flow concerns, heartache, and grief.

In terms of fatigue, heartache and grief, it is used to release stuck energy. It allows us to soften and feel into things. This means that emotions will come up, yet the flow rose creates allows us to see things with clarity. This flow and softening is how it helps the heart.

I feel like as it softens us, it asks us to take care of ourselves at the deep level where no one else sees. Rose calls us to protect that core of self while also being open to the world. We can be like the rose, vulnerable and delicate yet resilient and adaptable.

You can use rose buds, flower petals, leaves, twigs, and the hips. Each part of the rose has many vitamins and nutrients. Most notably, vitamin C and that’s what is so appealing about the rose hips. Whether it is in tea, honey, jams, or other preparations, a more fragrant variety will be more enjoyable.

When reading about the benefits of rose, know that wild roses are being referenced, but non-sprayed cultivated roses have the same benefits too!

Image by Manfred Richter from Pixabay 

The rose family is so large that you may be enjoying one of its cousins without even realizing it! Are you a part of my Sunday Evening Ritual email list? This is just a sample of what I write twice a month. Be sure to sign up and be a part of this twice monthly ritual (there will be an occasional promotional email in between but I try to focus mainly on these twice monthly emails).

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* “tender hug from a friend” quoted from The Herbal Academy’s article- https://theherbalacademy.com/heart-happy-herbs-for-valentines-day/